Manchin Says He Will ‘Absolutely’ Remain a Democrat

Thursday on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends,” Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) was asked by co-host Brian Kilmeade if he intended to remain a Democrat on the heels of his visit to see President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower last week.

“I’ve said this – absolutely,” Manchin replied. “Here’s the thing being a Democrat. My brand is being very, very independent. If I can come home and explain it to my friends and my colleagues and all of my people in West Virginia, then I’m fine. I don’t care whether it’s a Democrat or a Republican idea. The bottom line is I’m just working and trying to make this place work. My identity being a Democrat or your identity being a Republican should not interfere with us being an American.”

“And I don’t know why people get all bent up on that,” he continued. “I think I can do an awful lot of good and I think I can help. I believe working right where I am and I’m comfortable. I’m a West Virginia Democrat. I don’t agree with a lot of my Washington Democrat policies. But then I have a lot of West Virginia Republicans that don’t agree with a lot of the national Republicans either. So, you know what? That’s what makes us great. That’s what makes this country great.”